1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a wireless paging system, and more particularly, to an method and system for sending formatted information to a two-way communications device.
2. Related Art
Conventional wireless paging systems are typically one-way communication systems that can only send messages in a forward direction from a service provider to a subscriber's paging device. Because these one-way paging systems have no knowledge of the locations of paging devices, each message is distributed to all paging transmission facilities of a service provider, which can cover a geographic area such as North America. Each facility then transmits the message so that if an addressed paging device is within a coverage area of one of the transmitters, the message will be delivered to the paging device. This type of one-way paging system is often called a broadcast paging system. The message capacity of such a broadcast paging system is not used efficiently because each message is transmitted by every transmission facility in the system, but only one transmission facility will actually deliver the message to the subscriber's paging device. Therefore, the majority of the message traffic of any given transmitter will typically be occupied by messages addressed to pagers that are not within the coverage area of the transmitter. Accordingly, subscriptions to broadcast-type nationwide paging services are relatively expensive.
The messages sent in these one-way paging systems can be intended for one subscriber or for multiple subscribers. For example, a message intended for one subscriber's paging device can inform that subscriber that a third party is attempting to contact them. These paging devices are generally tuned to a predetermined frequency that is shared with many other paging devices. The reception of a particular message by a paging device activates an acoustic, vibrating, or visible alert, thereby indicating to the subscriber that a message has been received.
The addressability of a one-way paging device is determined by a unique identifier stored within the pager. The unique identifier may be considered analogous to a telephone number. For historical reasons, it is often referred to as a "capcode" because in early paging devices, a code number was printed on a cap that fit on top of the pager. The capcode is typically a four or seven digit number. This number is used by the paging system to generate the right sequence of tones to alert a specific paging device. In other words, the capcode is the unique serial number that paging system transmitters transmit to notify a paging device of an incoming message.
Examples of one-way paging messages intended for multiple subscribers include headline news, sports scores, and financial information. More specifically, companies such as Mobeo, Inc. (formerly DocuPro, Inc.) of Bethesda, Md., provide real-time quotes of financial instruments, energy instruments, world metal markets, and late-breaking news. A subscriber of Mobeo can receive such message information using a one-way paging device such as the ADVISOR.TM. Gold pager manufactured by Motorola, Inc. of Schaumburg, Ill. The same message information is broadcast by every transmission facility of the wireless data network supporting Mobeo. As discussed above, the addressability of a one-way paging device is determined by its capcode. These capcodes can be reprogrammed such that multiple paging devices have the same capcode. Thus, when multiple paging devices are programmed to have same capcode, each paging device can receive the message information broadcast by the transmitters.
A further disadvantage of these one-way paging systems is that the message information sent to the multiple subscribers is not tailored to the interests of each subscriber. Rather the message information is generally created to appeal to a broad spectrum of subscribers regardless of their individual interests and/or needs. For example, if individuals subscribe to a nationwide sports paging service, the message information can include the final results of the current day's baseball games because this type of information would probably appeal to a broad spectrum of subscribers. However, since the performance of a Baltimore Orioles' player is probably not of interest to a subscriber located in Seattle, such information cannot be economically provided to a Baltimore subscriber. That is, it would be a very inefficient use of valuable airtime for a service provider to transmit information relating to a Baltimore player from every transmission facility in a nationwide system. More generally, it is not efficient to send an information to the entire coverage area of a nation wide paging service where the information is only of interest to subscribers in one specific geographic area.
Still another disadvantage of these one-way paging systems is that subscribers pay the same amount for a service whether they desire information only once a day or fifty time a day. This may cause a service provider to lose revenue from customers that want only minimal information and are thus unwilling to pay for full service. Accordingly, it would be beneficial for a service provider to charge relative to the extent of a subscriber's use of service.
Attempts have been made to overcome some of the above disadvantages. For example, limited two-way wireless communications have been added to paging systems that were designed to handle one-way paging. For example, Motorola has developed the ReFLEX.TM. Protocol for two-way paging. A primary use of ReFLEX is to enable a paging device to send an acknowledgment (ACK) message indicating that a message has been received. This increases the reliability of a paging system because a message can be resent until an ACK message has been received. However, since ReFLEX was designed to modify an existing one-way FLEX.TM. protocol, its two-way capabilities are somewhat limited. For example, for messages originating at a paging device, ReFLEX support data rates of only 800, 1600, 6400, or 9600 bits per second (bps). Additionally, it typically takes on the order of a few minutes, from the time a message is sent to a paging device, to receive an ACK message using ReFLEX. Accordingly, ReFLEX has not satisfactorily overcome most of the above discussed disadvantages. More generally, ReFLEX has not proved acceptable for real time two-way communications.
More robust two-way wireless paging systems include the BellSouth Wireless Data network (also known as the RAM Mobile Data network) and the ARDIS network. These networks provide two-way paging using paging devices such as the Inter@active Pager.TM. manufactured by Research In Motion (RIM), Limited, of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. This RIM two-way pager provides fast two-way delivery of full-length, error-free, alphanumeric messages with guaranteed delivery. For example, when using the RIM pager with the BellSouth Wireless Data network or the ARDIS network, an acknowledgment message is received within a few seconds of the original message being sent. Thus, such networks and paging devices are beginning to provide two-way wireless paging services that have not previously been available.
Additional details of the BellSouth and ARDIS networks are publically available. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,401, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Acknowledging A Paging Message Via A Cellular Network Control Channel", and U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,097, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Identifying the Location of a Roaming Pager", both of which are assigned to BellSouth Corporation, of Atlanta, Ga., and both of which are incorporated herein by reference, provide additional details of the BellSouth network.
Two-way paging devices are addressed through the use of unique identifiers. Some identifiers are programmable and others are hard coded and fixed in a paging device. A programmable and/or hard coded identifier can be used to address a specific paging device. Because two-way paging devices transmit messages that include these unique identifiers, fraud is more likely to be detected.
There is a need to overcome the above discussed disadvantages. More specifically there is a need to cost effectively and efficiently provide subscribers with information specific to their needs and/or desires when the subscribers need and/or desire such information. Further, there is a need to provide subscribers with information that has a logical and useful format. Additionally, there is a need to provide a subscriber with information that is specifically formatted for that individual subscriber. Also, there is a need to efficiently request and receive complex sets of information (for example, financial information) using a minimum amount of airtime.